High-speed traversing means



1944- J. H. THOMAS ET AL 2,364,569

4 HIGH SPEED TRAVERSING-MEANS Filed Aug. 51, 1-959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS 1731 Thomas BY d F'detcher TTORNEY 1944- J. H. THOMAS ET AL HIGH SPEED TRAVERSING MEANS Filed Aug. 31, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 X 6% m 2 4 m J 1 i I m u ww 6 m 0 o 1 w z fi 4 w 0 INVENTORS JR Thomas Mi ATTO R N "IV Patented Dec. 5, 1 944 I Newark, Ohio, assignors to Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application August 31, 1939, Serial No. 292,754

8 Claims. (Cl. 242-43) The present invention relates to a traversing method and an apparatus of the type employed for winding strands, threads, slivers or the like of filamentous material in continuous composite form on a packaging spool or holder. The inven tion in part is designed as an improvement over the traversing method and apparatus disclosed in our co-pending application, Serial No. 161,476, now United States Patent No. 2,325,640, dated August 3, 1943, for Traversing means for highspeed windings, wherein the traversing means proper traverses the spool or package in one direction only, the traversing movement of the strand or thread in the reverse direction being controlled by the tension of the strand and the direction which it approaches the spool.

Reference may be had to the above-mentioned patent for a full disclosure of such atraversing means whereby the strand or thread is guided in one direction across the package and left free to move in the reverse direction unattended. Briefly, however, the traversing mechanism comprises a continuously rotating disk from which there projects outwardly a series of radially disposed. equally spaced, strand-engaging,- traversing fingers which are pivoted to the disk near the periphery thereof and which, upon rotation of the disk. successively project into the normal return path of movement of the strand in such a manner as to pick up the strand atone end of the package, carry itacross the package, and release it at the other or terminal end thereof. A stationary trip member positioned in the path of movement of the fingers successively engages and trips each finger to effect release of the strand at said latter terminal end of the package.

Broadly we have discovered that extremely high speed traversing may be accomplished in'an apparatus of the character described in our above cited patent utilizing traversing pins or fingers which are radially disposedabout an axis and wh'ch are fixed with respect to one another. The ends of the pins move on the circumference of a circle which intercepts the plane of the strand which is tangential to the spool and passes through the guide. plane at two points which are spaced apart a distance slightly greater than the length of the desired package to compensate for strand lag in the winding process. The guide or source isofi- The circle intercepts theset from the medial plane of the spool and preferably occupies a position outside of the two radial planes passing transversely through the spool ends to permit self-traversing of the strand in the direction opposite to the movement of.the

pins.

The improvements efiected by the present traversing apparatus over that previously described in connection with our patent are manifold. Accordingly it is among the important objects of the invention to provide a traversing apparatus which will impart to the finished package on the spool a more desirableshape and one which may be unwound from the spool without difficulty.

Another important object of the invention is to materially simplify the apparatus of our above mentioned patent particularly as regards the pivoted traversing fingers which in the present instance are eliminated and in their stead are substituted a series of traversing pins which are fixed with respect to the rotating disk and which operate to pick up the strand at one end of the package, carry it across the package and re- .lease it at the terminal end thereof without necessitating the use of a trip mechanism. By eliminating this trip mechanism much greater speeds of traversing with a minimum of wear are effected. y

A still further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus of this character in which the abrading action of the traversing means is reduced to a minimum while at the same time any tendency of the traversing means to sepa rate or split the strand is eliminated.

The provision of a traversing apparatus which may be operated at extremely high winding speeds; one which may be adjusted to accommodate various sizes of packaging spools or to produce packages of varying shape characteristics; one which is comprised of a minimum number of moving parts and which therefore is unlikely to get out of order; and one which is relatively silent in its operation, are further desiderata that have been borne in mind in the production and development of the present invention- 1 In the accompanying two sheets of drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view, partially diegrammatic in its representation, of one form of a' traversing apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and I showing the same operatively associated with a traversing means at one end of the Package and is released thereby at the other end of the pack- Fi 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the strand is wound upon the packaging spool, particularl at the ends of the package;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentarysectional view taken longitudinally through the packaging spool with the completed package thereon;

Fig. 8 is a plan view similar to Fig. 3 and diagrammatic in its representation of a modified form of traversing disk employed for producing a package having improved shape characteristics;

' Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. illustrating the manner in which the traversing disk of Fig. 8 operates upon the strand;

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 6

' illustrating the manner in which the strand ismodified form of traversing disk by means of. which another form of improved package is formed upon the packaging spool;

Fig. 13 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 9'

illustrating the manner in which the traversin disk of Fig. 12 operates upon the strand;

Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic view similar to Fig. 10 showing the manner in which the strand is deposited or placed on the package by the traversing disk of Fig. 12; and

Fig. 15 is a longitudinal sectional view similar to Fig. 11 showing the-character of package produced by the traversing disc of Fig: 12.

Referring particularly to Fig. 1, there is illustrated a method and apparatus for flowing a multiplicity of small streams of molten or viscous material, drawing them to fine filamentary form, collecting them'into a single strand or sliver, and winding the sliver onto a packaging spool. all by a continuous process. A supply oi the material, for example, molten glass, is maintained in a container or tank III provided with a feeder I I having a multiplicity of bottom outlets through which small streams of molten glass issue. A blower may envelop the streams in a downwardly directed blast of steam or the like for regulating the temperature and quickl coolin the streams of. glass which are rapidly drawn and attenuated to the form of fine fibers or filaments [2. The fibers are drawn in a downwardly convergent direction andaccumulated to form a single sliver l3 or strand which is wound on a holder I4 in the form of a packaging spool. bobbin or other core or the like rotating at high speed. The rotating spool or holder serves as a drawing means for attenuating the molten or viseous material and drawing it into fine fib rs- These are directed over a coating device I! by means of which the fibers are treated or coated with wax, oil or other coating material.

The packaging spool II is mounted for rotation preferably about a horizontal axis, and it is 'operatively associated with a traversing machine assembly it including a gear case I! through which the spool I4 is connected in driving relationship to an electric motor M.

The traversing mechanism proper comprises a traversing disk ll (see also Fig. 2.) which may be mounted directly on the shaft is of the motor M and which occupies a position with its periphery in close proximity to the packaging spool l4 and to the strand 13. An annular series of'traversing pins 20 have their ends secured by means of set screws 2| (Fig. 4) in the periphery of the disk l8 and are adjustable to vary their effective length for a purpose that will appear presently.

Referring now to Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the traversing pins 20 are of equal length, are equally spaced about the periphery of the traversing disk l8, and preferably project outwardly from the periphery of the disk in radial directions. The number of such traversing pins employed is arbitrary and for illustrative purposes six such pins spaced apart sixty degrees on the periphery of the disk have been illustrated. Obviously a v greater or lesser number of pins may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention.

The traversing disk is so positioned with respect to the strand I: that the fingers 20 successively traverse the path of the strand as the disk rotates in the direction indicated by the arrows in Figs. 3 and 5. The strand l3 issuing from the coating deviceli proceeds to the packaging spool to be wound thereon and is caused by the traversing pins 20 to oscillate in a. plane which is substantially tangential to the spool and parallel to the axis of the traversing disk ll. Thus the plane of the disk is is, at all times substantially perpendicular to the strand. Th coating device it is offset with respect to the medial transverse radial plane of the packaging spool ll preferably to an extent at which a line extending from the strand-engaging point of the coating device II and perpendicular to the axis of the spool will meet the axis at a point outside of the confines of the spool or at least the region of the package thereon. Thus a strand extending from the coating device to the spool is acutely angularly related to the axis of the spool. The natural tendency of a strand which is being wound upon a packaging spool from a source is to assume a direction normal to the axis of the spool and thus, in the present instance, the

strand II while being wound tends to move across the spool it toward the outer end or right hand side thereof as seen from Fig. 5.

Actual overrun'ning of the edge of the spool by the strand II is repeatedly prevented by the traversing fingers 20 which, in traversing the path of the strand, successively engage the strand as shown in full lines in Fig. 5 at the outer end of the spool, which for convenience of description is referred to as the "initial end of the package. and convey the strand across the package and release the same at the "terminal end thereof as shown in the dotted lines of this figure.

The strand is thus moved by each successive finger 20 and is wound spirally in one direction on the spool. In the terminal region of the package the finger 20 passes beyond the range'of the strand and the released strand immediately cmmences to wind on the spool spirally in the other direction due to its tendency to assume a position normal to the axis of the spool. As the strand approaches the initial end of the package and before it has had time to overrun the edge of the spool it is again engaged or picked up by the next succeeding finger and the traversing operation is repeated.

Referring now to Figs. 5. 6 and 7, it will'be seen that the inclination of the strand l3 each time it is picked up by one of the traversing pins 20 is substantially the same and is diagrammatically shown by the full line l3 of Fig. 5. Similarly, the inclination of the strand each time it is released by one of the traversing-pins 20 is substantially the same and is similarly illustrated by the dotted line l3a. The strand I3, from the time it is engaged by any one of the fingers 20 until it is released thereby, is fed from the moving finger directly to the spool in a direction which tends to become normal to the spool axis in accordance with the axiomatic principle of winding set forth previously. However, because the strand is carried forwardly with the finger, the rate of movement of the finger determines the pitch of the spiral winds placed on the spool. In practice the disk I8 is driven at a rate which will cause the strand to be traversed along the spool by the traversing pins at substantially the rate at which it traverses in the other direction nomenon is concerned with the presence of en-' larged portions of humps 22 at the initial and terminal ends of the package and consisting of excess windings of the strand at these regions. This phenomenon is not objectionable unless the enlarged portions 22 are excessive. Their disclosure has been exaggerated in the drawings for illustrative purposes. These enlarged portions of the package may be explained by virtue of the inability of the windings of the strand to instantly and without loss of time reverse their directions on the spool. This We have called lag."

While at the initial end of the package the strand is instantly picked up by the fingers and started in its movement toward .the terminal'end of the package, the lag in the strand between the finger and the spool, especially where high speed winding is concerned, permits one or more excess windings to be placed on the spool by being drawn directly from the offset coating device l5.

In winding apparatus of this character, other things being equal, it is the efiective diameter of the packaging spool which determines the shape of the initial and terminal ends of the package. In Fig. 6 it is seen that the effective diameter of the packaging spool is not constant but increases gradually as the package is built up on the spool. An examination of the relations illustrated in Fig. 1 will reveal that as the package is built up and the effective diameter of the spool increases. the inclination of the portion of the strand between the coating device and the spool varies, the lower end thereof approaching the axis of the rotating disk. Bearing this principle in mind, reference to Fig. 5 will reveal that as the package increases in diameter the strand is met at a the initial end of the package by the fingers 20 increasingly earlier and is released at the terminal end of the package increasingly later. The

'net result of this phenomenon at the initial end oi the package is to build up the package along the inclined axis :'-i of Fig. 6, which axis represents the locus of the points of contact between the strand and the fingers progressively closer to the axis of the disk as the package increases in ter of the package as shown by the full line circles. A comparatively symmetrical therefore results.

Still referring to Fig. 6 and in addition to Fig. 'I, a further phenomenon of package development package in this region. Likewise at the terminal end of the package there is a lag that contributes toward a similar placement of additional windings at this region.

Referring again to Fig. 3. the extreme outer ends of the pins 2|] are curved as at 23 or are otherwise rounded in order that the strand l3 may readily pass 01f from the fingers 20 at the terminal end of the package without the individual filaments that cooperate to make up the strand becoming separated from the strand. No sharp ends or projections therefore are present whereby the strand is likely to be damaged.

Referring now to Figs; 8 to 11 inclusive, a modified form of traversing disk is disclosed which, when employed in connection with the apparatus of Fig. 1 results in a more evenly distributed packagein which the presence of humps such as shown at 22 in Fig. 7 is reduced to a minimum if not altogether eliminated.

utilizing the disk of Fig. 3 is apparent. This phe- We have discovered that elimination of the humps 22 or at least a more general smoothing oiT of the initial and terminal ends of the package is attained b the simple expedient of varying the lengths ofthe traversing fingers 3|. The

. fingers 3! are spaced about the periphery of the disk 39 at sixty degree angles as in the form of invention previously described while alternate fingers in the series are made slightly longer than the intervening ones. Thus in Fig. 8 the fingers 3| existing on the axes designated at 60, 180 and 300"" are slightly longer than those existing on the axes designated at 0. and 240.

The net result of creating alternate series of fingers of different lengths when the traversing disk 30 is operatively associated with a packaging spool 32 as shown in Figs. 9 and 10 is to produce a'package having a more generally even contour. The longer finger will maintain their contact with the strand l3 at the terminal end of the package as shown at 13b for a longer period of t me than will the shorter fingers whose length of contact with thestrand is illustrated at I30. Thus the strand in returning to the initial end of the package will have a lesser time interval of approach toward this latter end of the package and will consequently be picked up by the succeeding short finger and started back toward the terminal end of the packag as shown at 3d at a comparatively earlier instant and before it has had time to reach the extreme initial end of the package. Conversely, the shorter fingers will drop the strand at the terminal end of the package sooner than will the longer fingers. Thus the strand in returning to the initial end from the shorter finger will have more time to approach tive diameter of the packaging spool 32 exists in connection with this form of the invention as does in connection with the form utilizing the disk I8. By the same token the long fingers 3| will theoretically tend to build up thepackage along the inclined axis l-l (Fig. at the terminal end or the package as shown by the dotted line circles. Likewise the short fingers 3| will theoretically tend to build up the package along the inclined axis ss as also shown by the dotted line circles. ,The positions represented on these axes are not attained however since the strand is placed on the package at points further and further removed from the center of the same as shown by the full line circles at the terminal end of the package.

.A similar condition of sta gered strand placement exists at the initial end of the package along the axes l'-|' and s's' and because of the staggered strand distribution at each end of the package there is ample room for any excess windings applied to the package due to strand ing as previously described to be assimilated without creating humps.

In Figs. 12 to inclusive there is disclosed another form of traversing mechanism by means of which one of the humps, namely the hump at the initial end of the package, may be materially reduced to a minimum if not altogether eliminated.

The traversing disk 40 is provided with peripheral fingers which are spaced in such a manner that one set of fingers lies as shown in Fig. 12 on the axes designated at 0, 120 and 240 while another set or fingers lie on axes designated at 60 plus, 180 plus and 300 plus. Thus the spacing between a finger in the first series and the next adjacent finger in the second series in the direction of rotation of the disk is slightly more than sixty degrees, the discrepancy amounting to a very small angle, depending upon the character of winding desired in the package.

Referring now to Fig. 13 it will be seen that the fingers 42 which occupy an advanced position on the periphery of the disk 40 will engage or pick up the strand I3 at the initial end of the package as indicated at l3 and will release it at the terminal end of the package as indicated at "a. The released strand will tend to return to theinitial end of the spool and in doing so will be met by the fingers 42 which 'are not advanced on the periphery of the disk and picked up comparatively later as indicated at Uh. In this manner the strands will be placed is formed with a slight hump at this end 01. the package.

Various modifications are contemplated within the spirit of the appended claims. For example, while we have shown relatively thin pins havingends which are curved away from the direction of rotation thereof, 'stouter pins having generally rounded ends would accomplish the same purpose as far as strand preservation is concerned. Likewise, the lengths of the pins; their spacing on the disk; the rate of rotatllrrl of the packaging spool the rate of movement oi the pins; and the poaoions of the coating device or guide, the packaging spool and the traversing disk relative to one another, are all relative factors that may be varied according to the character of package desired. Only insofar as the invention is particularly pointed out in the appended claims is the same to be limited.

We claim:

1. Winding mechanism comprising in combination, means for rotating a packaging spool about an axis to wind a strand thereon, a stationary guide for the strand at a point widely removed from the spool and from which the strand is fed to the spool, said guide being positioned with respect to the spool to cause the strand to approach the spool at an acute angle to the spool axis, a traversing disk including a series of relatively fixed pins secured to the disk and projecting outwardly beyond the periphery thereof, means for rotating the disk about an axis so positioned and oriented with respect to the spool and guide that the ends of the pins intercept the plane of the strand which is tangential to the spool at spaced points in proximity to the spool to traverse the strand along the spool in one direction and release the strand at the end of the traversing movement.

2. In a winding mechanism, a traversing disk, a series of equally spaced traversirg pins mounted on the disk and projecting outwardly beyond the periphery of the latter and adapted to engage a strand being wound and traverse it along a rotating support, alternate pins in the series projecting further outwardly from the axis oi the disk than the intervening pins to thereby traverse the strand alternately greater and lesser distances along the support.

3. In a winding mechanism, a traversing disk, a series of traversing pins mounted on the disk and projecting outwardly beyond the periphery of the latter and adapted to engage a strand being wound and traverse it along a rotating support, alternate pins in the series being equally spaced from each other, each pin being unequally spaced from the pins next adjacent thereto to cause the pins to come into engagement with on the package in staggered iashion as illusis released in the manner described in connection with the ll of Fig. 3 and thus the package the strand alternately at diilerent points along the spool.

4. Winding mechanism comprising in combination means for rotating a spool about an axis to wind a strand thereon in the form of a package. a stationary guide for the strand at a point widely removed from the spool and from which the strand emanates, said guide being positioned to cause the strand to approach the spool at an acute angle relative to the spool axis, a traversing disk having a series of equally spaced relatively fixed traversing pins mounted on the disk and projecting outwardly beyond the periphery of the latter, alternate pins in the series projectlng further outwardly from the axis of the disk than the intervening pins, and means for rotating the disk about an axis so oriented with and traverse the strand along the 'spool, alternate pins traversing the strand alternately through paths of different lengths.

5. Winding mechanism comprising in combination means for rotating a spool about an axis to wind a strand thereon in the form of a package, a stationary guide for the strand ata point widely removed from the spool and from which the strand emanates, said guide being positioned to cause the strand to approach the spool at an acute angle relative to the spool axis, a traversing disk having a series of relatively fixed traversing pins mounted on the disk and projecting outwardly beyond the periphery of the latter, alternate pins in the series being equally spaced from each other, each pin being unequally spaced from the pins next adjacent thereto, and means for rotating the disk about an axis so oriented with respect to the spool and guide that the ends of the pins intercept the plane of the strand which is tangential to the spool at two spaced points, alternate pins initially intercepting said plane at points alternately closer or further removed from the central radial plane of the package.

-6. In a traversing mechanism, a pair of traversing pins radially disposed about an axis in alignment with each other and adapted to traverse a strand along a rotating support on which it is being wound, one of said pins being longer than the other, and means for rotating said pins about the axis to traverse the strand along the source toward the spool, a strand engaging element fixed to said disk and projecting outwardly beyond the periphery of the disk in a radial direction to engage the strand, the circle of movement of saidelement as said disk rotates intersecting the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis, and means for rotating said disk about its axis to move said element in a circular path and cause it to repeatedly engage the strand and push it along the package from the end where the angle of incidence of the strand to the package is smallest to that where such angle is greatest and to release the strand at the latter end'to perform the return traverse under the influence of the natural tendency of the strand to meet thespool at a right angle.

8. Winding mechanism comprising in combination, means for rotating a packaging spool about an axis to wind a strand thereon, a guide for the strand situated outside the space bounded by planes normal to the spool axis and passing through the spool at the positions of the ends of the package formed on the spool, a disk rotatable about an axis located within the space bounded by said planes and rotatable in a plane transverse to the path of the strand from the source toward the spool, a strand engaging element fixed to said disk and projecting outwardly beyond the periphery of the disk to engage the strand, said disk being located at the side of the strand opposite to the spool and the circle of movement of said element as said disk rotates intersecting the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis, and means for rotating said disk about its axis to move said element in a circular path and cause it to repeatedly engage the strand and push it along the package from the end where the angle of incidence of the strand to the package is smallest to that where such angle is greatest and to release the strand at the latter end to perform the return traverse under the influence of the natural tendency of the strand to meet the spool at a right angle.

JOHN H. THOMAS. ED FLETCHER. 

